Switzerland to vote on limiting its population

The plan to cap the country's population at 10 million has sparked concern among companies dependent on foreign labor. Companies such as Roche, Novartis, and Google warn that strictly limiting immigration could make it difficult to access the international talent pool.

Global companies operating in Switzerland, including Roche, Novartis, Google, and Logitech, are concerned that the population cap plan to be voted on in June will hinder access to the international talent pool.

According to a report by Bloomberg, a plan to cap the country's population at 10 million will be put to a referendum in Switzerland on June 14. Since the population has already exceeded 9.1 million, annual immigration would need to be reduced by at least half to avoid reaching this limit by 2050, as proposed in the initiative.

The regulation in question is expected to affect many sectors, from manufacturing companies that have brought hundreds of thousands of workers into the country to meet labor needs in recent years, to banks and technology firms.

Roche Holding employs staff from more than 100 countries at its headquarters in Basel. However, the company's access to the international talent pool, which it has long relied on for recruitment, could face a serious threat in less than a month.

Roche Chairman Severin Schwan described the proposal as "dangerous for our society and economy." In a speech at the beginning of the year, Schwan stated, "Switzerland cannot meet its need for brilliant minds on its own."

Emphasizing the importance of keeping borders open to the most talented individuals internationally, Schwan said, "it is of vital importance."

While Google employs more than 5 thousand people from 85 countries in Zurich, Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber also highlights the importance of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology's international talent pool.

On the other hand, right-wing campaigners, who argue that Switzerland's high salaries and living standards make the country attractive to foreign workers, claim that population growth is out of control. While polls show that voters' opinions on the issue are divided, the possibility of the proposal being accepted is also being seriously debated.

Unlike anti-immigration movements in other European countries, it is noted that the initiative in Switzerland could cover not only asylum seekers and refugees but also high-income bankers, scientists, and engineers.

While Novartis states that access to international talent is of critical importance for companies, Nestle expressed that qualified employees from different countries contribute to the country remaining innovative and strong.

It is stated that the risk for companies is not only a smaller labor pool, but also that relations with the European Union (EU), Switzerland's largest export market, could be damaged.